DARLINGTON 1 BURY 2: BURY supporters at the Williamson Motors Stadium were singing in the rain as the Shakers produced the clearest evidence yet they can be genuine promotion candidates.

Granted it was a little too close for comfort in the latter stages with the Quakers finishing with a seven man forward line.

But it would be have been a travesty had Graham Barrow's side not claimed all three points.

The only concern is a leg injury to top scorer David Nugent who terrorised yet another unsuspecting defence.

If the teenage Scouser could finish off a few more of the chances he creates then there would be no finer striker in the division.

Clyde Wijnhard showed him the way to goal with a stunning last minute strike that produced a few jitters in the visiting ranks.

However, Nugent's overall performance was better than anything Wijnhard or ex-Middlesbrough and Ipswich striker Alun Armstrong showed.

As Graham Barrow succinctly put it after the match: "I'd have been an idiot to leave him out."

But he did have to perm two strikers from three for the trip and Jon Newby was the unfortunate one to be left out.

However, Barrow's hunch paid off as Chris Porter scored the first goal for his sixth of the campaign.

The manager's other spot on decision was to play Terry Dunfield rather than Paul Scott in place of Dave Flitcroft who was unwell.

Dunfield didn't disappoint, scoring what proved to be the winner, hitting a post and lending valuable support to Nugent and Porter.

Nugent could easily have finished with a double hat-trick as the Shakers ran riot for the first 70 minutes.

He unselfishly played in Dunfield for the midfielder's goal though having fluffed two earlier wonderful opportunities, he perhaps didn't want to miss again.

"David showed a lot of composure for the second goal," said Barrow who described his decision to leave out Newby as "the hardest I've had to make."

In the 35th minute, Nugent went on a brilliant run from the halfway line that was only ended by Russell's save at the expense of a corner. Brian Barry-Murphy's in-swinger found the head of Porter who netted from close range.

Then, three minutes later a poor Darlington goal kick was seized upon by Nugent who raced into the area before squaring to give Dunfield a tap in.

The second half saw Bury carve out more chances but Darlington almost got back into it after 62. Wijnhard played in Armstrong but Glynn Garner was smartly off his line to smother the danger.

The visitors seemed set for a clean sheet when the former Leeds marksman picked his spot from 25 yards and rattled an unstoppable drive into the top corner.

Bury: Garner 7, Unsworth 7, Swailes 8, Challinor 8, Woodthorpe 7, Kennedy 7, Dunfield 7 (Scott 73), Mattis 9, Barry-Murphy 7, Nugent 8 (Newby 81), Porter 7; subs not used: Whaley, Barrass, Kazim-Richards.

Referee: C. Boyeson

Attendance: 4,642